In my original post, I was merely hoping to explain something that Sukie had
brought up, not state that I thought that nosodes were effective
replacements for the CDV vaccine.  I apologize if the post was vague, but it
was not meant to be pro-nosode or even pro-homeopathy.  In this response I
have done my research and have some more specific information to answer bill
and Sukie's questions.
 
bill wrote:
>Interesting concept.  Not one I'd trust off hand to vaccinate but it is
>similar to the only experimental but so far completely impractical cure for
>distemper.  How this would work as a cure is that the anti-bodies for that
>specific disease created by normal vaccination would be passed to the new
>animal.  There the anti-bodies could try to do their thing.
 
As Sukie's post indicated, it's NOT effective against distemper.  However,
the nosode does not work by passing antibodies from one animal to another.
Loosely, a nosode is a homeopathic remedy that works by sensitizing a body
to the 'vibrations' or 'imprints' of the pathogen, enabling the immune
system to recognize the pathogen and protect itself against it.  They are
prepared like all homeopathic remedies: take a small sample of the substance
& put it in distilled water.  You shake vigorously and dilute w/more water,
then shake & dilute a prescribed # of times.  Homeopaths feel that a
remedy's potency increases with each shake & dilute.  Often a homeopathic
remedy will not contain ANY detectable amount of the original substance.  I
do not claim to understand how or why this works, if it does.
 
From http://www.medmarket.com/tenants/reiddds/herbplus/info/immuneXhtml;
"Nosodes are homeopathic preparations made from cultures of microbes and
viruses.  The nosode is prepared by serial dilution.  [...] In the case of
nosodes from bacteria and viruses, the preparation carries the molecular
imprint of the proteins and other constituents of the pathological agent.
The working of the nosode is based on the fact that the immune system is
sensitized to this molecular imprint without being exposed to the virulence
of the living agent.  The use of nosodes as a replacement for vaccination is
based on this mechanism.
 
"A nosode from a pathological agent, such as the measles, whooping cough
(pertussis), etc., carries the molecular imprint of the agent and therefore
sensitizes the immune system in such a way as to prepare the body for the
defense against that same pathological agent.  This is important in the case
of children's diseases, where a primary infection is necessary to immunize
the child, often for life, at a moment when the baby is highly vulnerable.
 
"...the administration of a nosode [...] is an ideal way to start building
immunity.  Because of the fact that the agent is present in the nosode as an
imprint and not as a virulent entity, it is a safe and gentle way to
sensitize the immune system."
 
Sorry for the long quote.  I highly doubt that in the case of very
contagious diseases that nosodes could be effective.  With less contagious
diseases I think that the health of the animal is more of a factor in
whether or not it falls ill.  I refer to animals, not just ferrets.  Ferrets
are only vaccinated against two things, and those two vaccinations are
necessary.  I do not approve of nosodes as a replacement!
 
The emphasis behind homeopathic remedies is that they can NOT harm the
animal.  Homeopathic overdoses are not supposed to have any negative
side-effects.  What that means in terms of nosodes is that there are no
killed or modified virii in the product administered.  Whether or not you
believe that a protein 'imprint' of a pathogen can sensitize an animal's
immune system to that pathogen is up to you.  I do not believe that it can.
 
>With a disease as deadly as CDV you would be gambling way too much for
>our tastes. [...]
 
I understand your strong reaction.  I feel the same way, and I wouldn't
trust a nosode to prevent CDV in ferrets either.
 
>What toxic chemicals would those be?  Are they more toxic than live viruses
>from a sick animal?  That would be hard to believe.
 
Many people have issues with the fact that some vaccines are prepared using
heavy metals.  More people dislike having their animals vaccinated yearly
when it isn't clear if yearly vaccinations are even necessary.  Some people
wish to avoid tumors that form at vaccination injection sites or the
allergic responses linked to vaccinations.  I don't think it's wrong for pet
owners to question why their pets are treated in certain ways, and I don't
think it's wrong for pet owners to look for answers and find alternatives if
they are viable.  But nosodes do not contain live pathogens nor do I think
there is a risk of getting from a nosode the disease it hopes to prevent.
BUT it's not proven that it can prevent disease at all.
 
Sukie wrote:
>If your description of how such "vaccines" are made, Melissa, is accurate,
>and if my interpretation is accurate then that would mean that the
>homeopathic "nosode" you described could even possibly have the potential to
>TRANSMIT live virus.
 
Dr. Wynn at the Alt Vet Med site does not recommend nosodes for disease
prevention.  She claims they may help "decrease the severity of active
disease and possibly prevent the spread of epidemics" but she places no
faith in their effectiveness.  However, nowhere in looking around did I find
any indication that any nosode preparation could ever give any animal the
disease it is supposed to help protect against.
 
I'm sorry I upset people by giving an unclear definition.  Homeopathy is not
about infecting people or animals or treating disease - it's about treating
the entire animal to get at WHY the animal has the disease.  While I don't
necessarily agree with homeopaths or homeopathy, I'm upset that I presented
something misleadingly and gave an incorrect impression of it.
 
Melissa
[Posted in FML issue 2034]